Mastering Hills: Can Your Electric Scooter Go Uphill?

For prospective riders eyeing the electric scooter scene, the burning question often revolves around conquering inclines. Picture residents in Asheville, NC, navigating the windy streets or San Francisco locals braving the world-renowned steep hills. In an era where electric scooters are becoming a staple for daily commutes and quick errand runs, the ability to ascend hilly terrains becomes a pivotal concern, especially for those residing in elevated landscapes.

The Short Answer: Yes, Electric Scooters Can Go Uphill!

Yes, electric scooters are designed to tackle inclines, ensuring a smooth and efficient ride for users. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that, like any feature, there are nuances to consider before embarking on your uphill journey.

Climb Angle

As a rule, the steeper the hill is, the harder it is for the electric scooter to do the climb. There are several factors that determine whether your electric scooter can go uphill or not. The most important factor of them all is the climbing angle. For less powerful electric scooters, an angle greater than 18° is considered too steep to climb. For premium eScooters, on the other hand, that angle could be child’s play.

But there are other factors to consider.

Weight

Two people with significant weight differences could ride the same electric scooter and have differing success climbing the same incline. The less weight a scooter has to carry, the less work the motor has to do. So it’s essential to check the maximum weight capacity of your eScooter before you purchase. Also, heavier scooters tend to have a higher maximum weight capacity.

Battery and Motor

Just like any electronic, your electric scooter must come packed with a powerful battery to store the significant power you will need. The battery and the motor have a direct impact on the performance of the scooter. The more powerful they are, the better the performance.

If you happen to live in a hilly area and you’re considering buying an electric scooter, consider a scooter with a powerful battery and motor. An electric scooter powered by a long-lasting battery and high-torque motor at 250 watts or above will be perfect for you.

Tires

Tires with proper grip and adequate size are crucial to an uphill climb. Having bald or small tires can make climbing more difficult or impossible in some cases. The electric scooter you buy should have grooved, treaded tires. Ideally, a scooter’s tires should be 8.5 inches or larger. Smaller tires might cause excessive load and undue stress on the motor.

Suspension

Having an electric scooter with a suspension can help you go uphill with ease when compared to a scooter with no suspension. When you are climbing a hill, your body tends to exert more weight on the rear wheels of the scooter to balance itself. A suspension in the scooter ensures that the load exerted on the back of your scooter is not fully transferred to the wheels. An e-scooter with a rear suspension ensures you can enjoy a comfortable city ride and climb hills with confidence.

With electric scooters growing in popularity, many manufacturers skimp on production costs by using low-grade components. This results in an electric scooter that can only work on even, level pavement.

If you find that you want a more robust riding experience, then consider our suggestions. Find an electric scooter made from a reputable company, known for using premium-grade materials. Powerful motors. Efficient batteries. High-tread tires. If you do that, you’ll be climbing — and conquering — steep hills in no time.

Need help finding the perfect electric scooter? Check out our eRideable Buyer’s Guide.

Although electric scooters have been around since 1996, they have only recently flooded a number of large American cities. And the numbers are fairly impressive. Bird, the biggest player in the electric scooter rental market, has scooters in dozens of cities at an estimated value of $2 billion. With so many scooters entering the market (and surely that number will grow), it’s important to consider the operating and product quality standards that apply to this mode of transportation.

One of the most frequently asked questions about electric scooters is where you can drive the eScooter. Should you drive an electric scooter on the sidewalk, a bike lane, or with the general traffic? A fairly straightforward question, one that should have an equally straightforward answer, right? Unfortunately, it doesn’t.

The answer is . . . it depends.

Become Familiar With Your Local Laws. Electric Scooter Laws Vary From State to State.

We’ve talked before about the complexities of electric scooter laws in the U.S. You can take a look back at our previous article, “Are Electric Scooters Legal?”, for a detailed look on the subject. But let’s revisit the basics here, with some added bits:

• In California, you can only ride an electric scooter in a bike lane, or on the right-hand side of the road, next to the curb. You cannot ride an electric scooter on a sidewalk. Furthermore, if you are crossing an intersection, you must walk the scooter across.
• In Texas, you can ride an electric scooter on the road with the traffic, in the bike lane (if there is one available), or on the sidewalk. Riding on the road or using the bike lane are preferable over riding on the sidewalk. That said, in Austin, Texas there are some stretches of sidewalk that are off-limits to scooters, so do your research before you ride!
• In Colorado, riding an electric scooter on the sidewalk is the only option. The law considers an electric scooter to be a toy, and therefore scooters are prohibited from riding in a bike lane or with general traffic.

In Washington, DC, riding a scooter on a sidewalk is prohibited when a bike lane is available. You are however permitted to operate an electric scooter on any sidewalk that is overseen by the National Park Service. With such a mish-mash of rules and regulations involved with riding an eScooter, our final advice remains unchanged:

• Check the website of your state Department of Motor Vehicles first. You might be able to find information there, not only about state laws but also local municipalities. Larger cities such as NYC and San Francisco will also have info on the city website.
• If you can’t find it online, just ask the local police. It’s better to talk to them now on the phone rather than after they’ve handed you a citation!

General Laws and Full-Size Electric Scooters

With so much variety, the responsibility is on you to follow the law wherever you are. Fortunately, there are a few general laws that you can expect to be consistent from state to state. For example,

• You are not required to wear a helmet if you are 16 or older.
• At age 16, you are allowed to drive on a public road.
• You also cannot drive a full-sized electric scooter on a sidewalk or bike path.
• A full-sized electric scooter, also known as a street-legal scooter, can travel up to 65 miles per hour and is designed to drive on the road.
• If you are operating a scooter that is 50cc with a top speed of 30 miles per hour or higher, you are required to have a valid driver’s license.
• In addition, annual registration is frequently required for full-sized electric scooters.

Electric and Hand Signals

Whether you are riding your electric scooter on the road or the bike lane, it is important to communicate to other motorists around you. First, consider mounting turn signals on your handlebar. This type of turn signal looks very similar to those mounted on a motorcycle, where the light signal blinks when the rider flips a switch. Do a quick search online, and you’ll find a variety of turn signal models under $15 that are easy to install.

Be advised, not all models of electric scooter are easy to operate one-handed, so hand signals can be problematic. Electric signals are strongly advised in this case.

If you choose not to mount electric signals on your handlebar, then you should use gestures that indicate direction and intent.

• To signal that you are stopping, extend your left arm out and bend your arm down at the elbow.
• To signal a right-hand turn, extend your right arm perpendicular to your body. That is, point in the direction you are turning.
• To signal a left-hand turn, raise your left arm perpendicular to your body.

It’s one of the fundamental truths we lived with for decades: water and electronics don’t mix. But with electric scooters, the temptation to throw caution to the wind and ride out in the rain is too great to ignore. So, this article will answer the question: “Can electric scooters be used in the rain?”.

As is usual with these questions, the definitive answer is . . . maybe.

What Happens When You Ride an Electric Scooter in the Rain

When operating your electric scooter in the rain, here are two things to keep in mind.

First, you have to understand how the water would be affecting the electric components in your electric scooter.

While some low-grade electric scooters in the market may take a splash or two and handle some scattered raindrops, riding such scooters in the rain will definitely be a gamble. Poorly manufactured electric equipment is best sheltered inside when it starts raining.

Another thing to understand is that the handling and performance in wet conditions are more difficult, just like with a bicycle or an automobile. Wet surfaces can dramatically lower the traction of the electric scooter, making it harder to maneuver or stop.

Electric scooters from disreputable brands or unknown manufacturers might have poor handling ability in the rain and poor braking.

What about SWAGTRON® Electric Scooters?

Performance in adverse weather conditions is one of the many areas where shoddy electric scooters do not come close to matching the standards and quality of SWAGTRON. Our electric scooters are water-resistant (IPX4) and can be ridden in short intervals during light rain.

All SWAGTRON electric scooters come with grooved rubber or inflatable tires. These tires offer a firm grip on most of the surfaces, wet or dry. No matter what surface you ride on, riders will have a good grip on the road for proper handling.

When Not To Ride Your Electric Scooter: In The Rain or Low Visibility

Briefly riding your SWAGTRON electric scooter in light rain causes no harm to you or your scooter. But if it’s raining heavily and your visibility is reduced, you probably shouldn’t go riding. Wait for the rains to subside before heading out. Avoid going out on electric scooters during torrential rain.

Chance of High Standing Rainwater

“Water-resistant” is not the same as “waterproof.” So, don’t use your electric scooter in areas where there’s a chance of floods or high water. Extreme conditions such as flash floods, overflowing rivers or streams, and deep puddles will render your electric scooter inoperable. Such conditions may also permanently damage your electric scooter. There’s also a chance that you may be left stranded far away from your home. Use caution. Do not take your electric scooter out for a spin if there is a chance of high standing water.

Again, SWAGTRON electric scooters are water-resistant — also termed as splash-resistant — not waterproof. Never fully submerge your electric scooter in water. That will void the warranty and might damage electric components beyond repair.

Electric Scooters In Freezing Rain

If the temperatures are below freezing and it is raining, it is strongly recommended NOT to ride your electric scooter. Operating your electric scooter in the rain below freezing temperatures causes your battery and motor to overwork. This adversely affects the longevity of the battery and the electric motor. If your electric scooter does happen to get cold, wait until the battery gets warm before trying to recharge or power-up.

If you’re buying a premium electric scooter from a reliable brand, you should be fine if you get caught out in light rain for a brief amount of time. Always check the IP-rating of your electric scooter before buying. They should be well advertised. Avoid risky behavior. Don’t ride your e-scooter in freezing temperatures, during heavy downpours, or through water puddles.

Need help finding the best electric scooter for your needs? Check out our absolutely free eRideable Buyer’s Guide for some guidance and support.

So you want to up your swag? Of course, you do. After looking through our eRides, how could you not? By now, you’ve decided an electric scooter suits your swag best and may have picked out the model that’s right for you. But the age-old question remains: where should I buy my ride?

If it bears the SWAGTRON® name, it’s going to have the quality and swag that you deserve. To help you find the best deal out there, we’ve put together a list of the best places to buy SWAGTRON electric scooters, with some things to consider for each.

1. Can I Buy SWAGTRON Electric Scooters Online?

The short answer is yes. But given the number of online marketplaces and retailers to choose from these days, that doesn’t narrow it down much. The digital universe has plenty of sellers to choose from, but we don’t recommend handing over your hard-earned cash to some random “vendor” whose inventory is really just odds and ends in his garage. Better to buy from a reputable seller so that you know what you’re getting, and even then it’s best to be careful. With that in mind, here are some online suppliers you can look to for your SWAGTRON merch:

• Amazon. They supply everything else in the universe, so why wouldn’t they carry SWAGTRON, too? You can find our products sold directly through Amazon’s site, but just be careful to make sure you buy from a vendor with a high rating. It’s worth the extra expense.
• Best Buy. We’re friends with this all-purpose tech store too, so you can find our rides here also — though there’s no guarantee they’ll have the exact eScooter model you’re looking for.
• Walmart. You can buy your groceries, your clothes, your car parts, and just about everything else life demands at Sam Walton’s place, and you can get one of our electric scooters here too — but again, no guarantees as to model.
• Costco. Yeah, they’re considered the “bulk store,” but they’ve routinely sold exclusive SWAGTRON models before, made especially for their members. The exclusive models also came with swag benefits not found anywhere else.

It doesn’t really matter which one you’re looking at. The point with all digital marketplaces and online retailers is the same: you may be able to save a few bucks, but the selection isn’t a given. You’ve bought online before, so you get how this works: you usually have no trouble at all, but if the product has passed through other hands between the manufacturer and you, there’s always some risk.

2. Can I Buy My Electric Scooter Locally?

Supporting local businesses is important. But it’s also difficult to do sometimes. Especially when it comes to electric rideables that, for many, are still considered “niche.” If you can find a mom-and-pop eRide shop, you’re more than welcome to support them. Many riders love the touch factor and personal rapport they build when they buy local but finding an electric scooter provider near you is dependent upon your location. And, because the little guy has to compete to survive with the giants, we can’t guarantee they won’t have to charge you a bit more to stay afloat.

3. Can I Buy My Electric Scooter From SWAGTRON?

We thought you’d never ask! Buying directly from the manufacturer is often the best way to guarantee the quality product you deserve, and it’s a sure bet in getting the exact electric scooter that you had your heart set on. You’re also more likely to get warranty protection that online retailers may not supply. This keeps you from having to worry about what that guy on Amazon meant when he said your ride was in “acceptable” condition, and it ensures your electric scooter comes the way you’re expecting.

If you know you want an eScooter but haven’t chosen a specific one, you have all the more reasons to buy straight from us, as our website lets you browse and compare the full selection of our models. And if you still need more help, our quality customer support knows the eRide industry inside and out, and we’ll do everything we can to put you on the eScooter that’s right for you.

Have Swag, Will Buy

From online marketplaces to local eRide experts, you’re sure to find SWAGTRON products wherever swag and speed are sold. Many of these places offer a solid selection of our electric scooters with minimal risk of a damaged product, but it’s still important to buy from a trusted vendor. Given that we’re the ones making our product, we’re pretty sure that’s us. Warranty protection, complete selection, personal attention — why not get your swag straight from the source?

We think we’re the best suppliers of our eScooters, but we’re okay with it if you’d like to get your swag another way. What really counts is that you find the electric scooter of your dreams.

So, you’ve taken the plunge into adding some outdoor activity to your life. You even deserve extra kudos for incorporating technology with fitness by investing in a SWAGTRON® electric scooter.

The thing is, though, if you want to retain your street cred, you’ll also need to clean your electric scooter on a routine basis. Performing regular maintenance not only keeps it looking its best but also helps preserve optimal performance.

Basic Steps for Cleaning Your Electric Scooter

Whether you’ve decided to give SWAGTRON a try as a commuter eScooter, a go-to resource for easy on-campus transportation or as a kids’ kick scooter, you’ll need to practice the same basic cleaning guidelines.

It’s not difficult. But setting up a regular schedule will help you remember each step and practice it with care. The idea is to incorporate cleaning into your riding routine. Remember, there’s a fine line between riding in a classic vehicle that inspires awe and one that causes onlookers to gasp in shock.

Cleaning Supplies

It doesn’t take much to keep your scooter clean and dust-free. You can keep your supplies in a well-organized spot that won’t take up much space.

• Two buckets: they can be any size; one is for warm, soapy water, and the other is for clean water
• Mild dish soap
• Long-bristle unused paintbrush
• Three microfiber cloths

Clean Your eScooter in 7 Easy Steps

1. Cover the battery charger port and wrap the speed control components with waterproof material.
2. Combine dish soap with lukewarm water in one bucket, and fill the other with only lukewarm water for rinsing.
3. Wipe down the handle grips and controllers with a dry microfiber cloth. They don’t get too dirty as a general rule; however, if they appear to have some build-up, use a slightly damp cloth to wipe it away carefully.
4. Wipe down the footrest, suspension, kickstand, fenders and lights with a soapy cloth first and rinse it with a damp cloth from the clean water bucket.
5. Wipe away excess debris from the deck and tires using the brush.
6. Use a damp soapy cloth to wash off your electric scooter’s wheels, deck, tires and brakes. Follow it up with a rinse of clean water using a soft damp cloth.
7. Use a clean microfiber cloth to dry each of the areas thoroughly. It preserves the effectiveness of the components and eliminates surface water.

Routine Maintenance for Your SWAGTRON eScooter

Whether you’ve opted for a Swagger 5 Elite electric scooter that easily folds for the city commute, or your kids seem to be permanently connected to the Swagger SK1 electric scooter, you’ll want to keep it running and looking its best.

Monthly cleaning is really all that’s necessary with regular use. After you’ve wiped your scooter down, it’s also a good time to check some key areas to make sure they’re functioning at peak performance.

• Check bolts, brake disc pads, cables and screws to ensure they’re tight with proper movement.
• Check the tire pressure.

Check out the video we made for a better understanding on general maintenance tips for the Swagger 5 Elite.

If you are a bit of a daredevil and enjoy those off or on-pavement feats, such as high jumps and hard landings, you may decide to forgo the typical street model and move right into the SWAGTRON KR-1 all-terrain dirt stunt scooter.

Appropriate for teens and adults, this eScooter is fully capable of maneuvering through loose gravel, dirt tracks and bumpy trails without a hitch. It offers a wide 5-inch deck, chrome Y-bar riser handles and extra-large 8-inch knobbly tires for gripping off-road terrain. SWAGTRON definitely offers the adventurers among us a chance to live out loud.

You may be wondering what the added and more robust usage means in the cleaning department. Ok, that thought may not occur to you until after you’ve tackled the dirt trail, but the result’s the same.

You’ll simply follow the same cleaning steps, but you should do so after each off-road excursion to keep the dirt from building up and affecting the electric scooter’s performance.

So, you may fashion yourself a sophisticate who efficiently commutes between classes on campus or opts for practical and economical transportation to the office, or you might be more of a rebel who lives to feel the wind on your face. Whatever your reason for investing in a SWAGTRON electric scooter, protect your transportation with a regular cleaning schedule.

You’re going on your next out-of-town vacation—either going to another city, state or even country. And of all the things you feel you absolutely must take with you, your electric scooter or electric bike is high on that list. Understandable. After all, it’s become such a crucial part of your daily routine now, and it would be so convenient for sightseeing excursions. Your next few thoughts might turn to carrying the battery with you, too. But can you waltz onto your flight, battery in hand (or in the luggage)?

Unfortunately, in almost all instances, you can’t carry your eBike or eScooter batteries onto an airplane. That’s especially true if they’re lithium-ion batteries. In the U.S., the FAA lets passengers carry along Li-ion batteries at or under 100 watt-hours (Wh) each.

That restriction applies to both carry-on luggage and checked baggage. And it’s not one enforced by the FAA alone; nations all over the world provide airlines with similar guidelines.

Let’s dive into these rules a little deeper and discuss some new technologies already in circulation and under development.

Lithium-Ion Batteries

There are overwhelming odds that your eBike or eScooter is fitted with a lithium-ion battery. Smaller types of this kind of battery, such as those you’d find in cameras, handheld games and laptops, are generally fine to carry onboard a flight. However, when it comes to your eBike or eScooter, the battery understandably is much bigger — to make those long riding hours and high speeds possible.

A consequence of that is greater regulation by airlines, mainly for safety reasons, and that’s where the 100 Wh limit mentioned above comes in.

While some eScooter models for children can have Li-ion batteries with watt-hours that meet the maximum guidelines, those are very rare exceptions. Your average eScooter or eBike battery, especially with enough power to carry a teenager or adult, will go far beyond that.

You can find the exact amperage for your particular model on the battery pack.

Just for reference, SWAGTRON’s® EB6 eBike battery comes in at 280 Wh, and the readings for most eBike and eScooter batteries play at around that region. Way above the FAA limit.

New Technologies in the Works

As battery technology evolves, it’s possible that hopping onto a flight with your eBike or eScooter battery won’t be an issue anymore.  The most significant advancement in that direction is LiFePo batteries.

While still a type of lithium-ion battery, LiFePo batteries have some key differences from those we previously mentioned, making them more flight-friendly. They have a lower operating voltage and greater long-term stability, which helps them to bypass the reasoning behind the FAA’s restrictions.

New Swagtron® hoverboards come fitted with LiFePo batteries, and some airlines and officiators may have different rules and regulations in place for them than for the Li-ion kind.

Future eBike and eScooter models may start to carry LiFePo batteries, so keep an eye out as product lineups change. Implementation of LiFePo across the board may very well allow you to take a battery with you on your cross-state and international trips.

Always Check Before Packing

We can provide you with a general sense of how likely it is that you’ll be able to travel with your eBike and eScooter battery, but it’s the exact airline you’re flying with that can give you a rock-solid answer.

You can reach out to the airline’s staff via email or with a call and ask them what their official line is on the type of battery you’re hoping to bring along. To make sure you get an informed answer and make it easier for them to give one — give as many crucial details as you can on the battery.

You can find the information written on the battery, and your user manual will explain in greater detail. Most likely, the data they’ll need includes watt-hours, voltage and mAh. Have that information handy when you reach out to them, so you’re able to get an answer that factors in all the important details.

Possible Workaround

If you’re aware of the time and date of your trip, you can always have the eScooter or eBike battery shipped to your destination ahead of time. Freight restrictions are far looser than those airlines have to enforce, so the possibility of shipping your battery wherever you’re headed may be entirely plausible.

Settling the question: you’re not going to be taking your eBike or eScooter battery with you on a flight in the near future. That said, new LiFePo tech may come to eScooters and eBikes, making flying with your battery entirely possible.

Deep inside, most people are just dying to zip around the city on an electric scooter. You might even have a picture in your mind of how cool it would be zooming around on two or three wheels. And thanks to SWAGTRON® electric eScooters, that inner dream can now be a reality.

But getting in trouble with the law can quickly turn your exciting daydream into a nightmare. After all, nothing can spoil your scooter fun faster than finding out that your riding status is not exactly “legal.” So, let’s answer the question that’s on many riders’ minds:

Do I need a license to enjoy my adult eScooter?

Licensing statues for eScooters depend on how each individual state classifies adult eScooters and sets the minimum age of the rider. There’s no federal definition of what an electric scooter is, nor are there regulations concerning it. So it’s up to each state—and in some cases, each city—to make their own regulations.

For example, in Arizona, an electric scooter is classified as an electric bicycle, and its speed can’t go over 20 miles an hour. That’s really not very fast, given that some humans can run eight miles an hour faster! (We’re looking at you, Usain Bolt!)

But because of that requirement, the Grand Canyon State doesn’t place any restrictions on riders and doesn’t require anyone to get a license to ride an eScooter in public. At least there’s a benefit to going slower than Usain.

On the other hand, Iowa sometimes classifies these electronic scooters as mopeds, which means they require riders to be at least 14 years old and have some type of license to use the vehicle in public. However, not everyone who operates an electronic scooter wants to ride one in public, making the point entirely moot. To decide if you need to worry about registering your adult eScooter, take a hard look at state and local laws and how you plan to use your scooter.

Will You Ride in Public?

If you don’t plan to ever take your scooter onto a public path, you don’t have to worry about registering your adult eScooter or concern yourself with any state restrictions. It’s that simple. But you also must make sure to confine your scooter to your own property at all times. The glory of riding on your property, though is, you can ride as fast as you want without worrying about anything but the trees and an occasional chipmunk.

If you do plan to ride in public—especially a crowded public area—you need to look up your state’s requirements and make sure that you’ve followed all of your state’s rules before you venture out on your adult eScooter. Some states allow you to ride anywhere if you have a license, and some restrict you to pathways, but every state has rules to follow on this subject. Break the rules, and you might have to pay a fine.

Do You Need to Register?

Once you’ve decided that you’re going to ride in public, look into whether you need a simple license, a license and a permit, or nothing at all for your adult eScooter. Some states, such as Maryland and Kentucky, don’t require you to register your vehicle at all. They consider eScooters to be a separate category from mopeds because eScooters don’t have an automatic transmission. Unfortunately, as is the case in Lexington, Kentucky, this distinction also disqualifies eScooters from use on public streets.

Iowa, as mentioned before, technically considers eScooters to be similar to bicycles and expects riders to follow all bicycle rules of the road.

Is Any Special Equipment Required?

Much like cars require seat belts and motorcycles require a helmet, eScooters can come with similar regulations. For example, Michigan expects all riders to wear a helmet until age 19, whereas in Minnesota, it’s 18. Before you hit the road on your scooter, check out if you need any extra equipment. And if you’re in the market for a helmet, why not go all out with Bluetooth capability and LED lights for safety.

What’s the Age Limit?

It might seem weird to talk about age limits for an electronic scooter. Still, eScooters are considered vehicles and may be limited to age 18 and over without a special permit. In many cases, if you have a driver’s license, your state considers you’re covered to ride an electric scooter. Sometimes, however, you might need a little bit of extra documentation.

For example, if you’re under the age of 18, you might need to get a specific permit that says you’re allowed to operate an eScooter in public. As with all situations, you need to check with your state to see if you have any additional requirements.

An eScooter is a great way to move about in style, especially when the weather is at its best. Due to their extreme popularity, state and local governments are continually enacting new regulations to help keep riders safe. Since eScooter laws are changing all the time, check before you ride. That way, you get all the fun without any headaches.

Riding an electric scooter or eBike is an exhilarating and empowering experience. Though exhilarating, riders should take precautions to minimize the possibility of injury. That means, always wearing protective gear when riding, especially certified bicycle helmet.

A Reminder on Bicycle Helmet Certification

There are organizations that inspect and rate helmets. Before buying a helmet, make sure to look for a seal of approval from one of these organizations:

• American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
• Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
• Snell Memorial Foundation

Don’t see one of these seals on a helmet? Avoid like the plague!

Bike Helmet Size Guide

When buying a helmet, you might run across size designations, e.g., “small,” “medium,” or “large.” This doesn’t do us much good. So use the chart below to translate and grab the helmet size that perfectly matches your measurement.

How to Measure Your Head for Proper Helmet Sizing

You should always try on a bicycle helmet before buying it to make sure that it fits snugly yet comfortably and cannot move side to side. But this isn’t always possible, especially if you’re buying from an online vendor. For online purchases, you’ll want to find the proper size to buy. The best way to do this?

Wrap a flexible tape measure around the largest portion of your head, usually about 1 inch above your eyebrows. No flexible tape measure on hand? No problem! Wrap a string or ribbon around your head. Mark where the end of the string connects, then measure the string with a ruler.

Remember: The helmet should fit snugly with little-to-no movement once on the head. (But don’t make it so tight that it cuts off circulation.) So if you find that you’re between sizes, always opt for the smaller size.

And if buying for your child, take their measurements again every six months or so, depending on how fast they’re growing.

Proper Bicycle Helmet Fitting

Almost as important as the size of the helmet is how it positions on the head. The helmet should sit low and cover your forehead without obstructing your vision. You should only be able to fit one or two fingers above your eyebrow.

It’s Time to Replace the Bike Helmet When . . .

• You’ve crashed in the helmet.
• Your child — or you (no judgments!) — has outgrown the helmet.
• The helmet has dropped onto a hard surface, like concrete.

We wish the answer to this question was a simple yes, and you all can drive your electric scooters on pavements. But first, we should point out that “pavements” in British English has the same meaning as “sidewalks” in American English. We will use them interchangeably here. In the US, unless you are a paving contractor with options for customers, “pavement” is not plural, it’s a non-count noun (like water, money or time) and its meaning is for any paved surface, very much including roadways.

Electric scooters such as those offered by SWAGTRON® are classified as PLEV (Personal Light Electric Vehicle). Due to their power level and top speed, electric scooters are generally not classified as road vehicles. This classification makes it illegal to ride electric scooters on the roads of most American states.

Whether electric scooters may be used on pavements or not depends on the different states and their respective laws. Each state has a slightly different law. According to statistical data and records, electric scooters are like conventional bicycles – no extra regulation is required. In most of the USA, you can ride your electric scooter tension free on sidewalks.

Below we have a look at some of the major states in America and how the laws of these states compare to each other and whether you can ride your electric scooters there or not.

Can electric scooters be used on pavements in Texas?

Electric Scooter Laws in Texas

Texas state law is a bit more lenient with electric scooters. A motor-assisted scooter is perfectly fine if it has a motor under 900w and can also be ridden manually, like a kick scooter.

Like California, Texas Texas allows riding electric scooters “on a path set aside for the exclusive operation of bicycles.” But they also allow e-scooters on sidewalks and on streets with a speed limit under 35 mph. And electric scooters use the same traffic laws that apply to bicycles such as obeying speed limits and using your arms to signal turns.

The city of Austin, TX, has embraced cutting edge transportation. They’ve also tackled head-on the legal headaches involved with any game-changing technology. After a temporary ban on electric scooters this spring, electric scooters are now allowed with a few minor restrictions.

(To complicate matters more, the University of Texas, located in Austin, TX, has its own set of rules governing bikes and electric scooters.)

Electric Scooter Laws in California

In the past year, dockless electric scooters have been all the rage in California. These rentable e-scooters from Bird, LimeBike and Spin have taken to the streets. The urban commuters and city dwellers of Los Angeles, Santa Monica and San Francisco see them as attractive solutions.

Fun. Convenient. Eco-friendly. It’s no wonder electric scooters have become a trendy way to fill gaps in last-mile transit.

The surge in popularity has caused California legislators to take a closer look at electric scooter laws. Recently, the California state assembly introduced a February 2018 bill to clarify the existing law. It gives cities a baseline to use as they pass their own local ordinances.

Current California state law says that electric scooters are legal with a few restrictions:

• You must have a valid driver’s license or learners permit.
• You must wear a helmet.
• You cannot ride your electric scooter over 15 mph.
• You cannot ride the electric scooter on the sidewalk.
• You cannot ride on street with a speed limit over 25 mph, unless you ride in a bike lane.
• If you do ride in the street, you must stay on the right side and ride as close as you can to the curb, with exceptions.

Can electric scooters be used on pavements in New York?

Is an Electric Scooter Legal in New York?

Want to ride your brand-new Swagger 5 electric scooter in New York? Sorry, you’re out of luck. New York State doesn’t allow “motorized scooters” on any street, highway, parking lot, or sidewalk. But this may be changing soon.

In 2018, New York City approved a rule allowing pedal-assist electric bicycles. Could electric scooters be far behind? Look for NY to modernize its laws as electric scooters gain popularity with other major cities’ urban commuters.

How about the United Kingdom?

In the UK, electric scooters are legal to be bought and sold in stores. However, if you want to ride your electric scooter out on the street or on pavements, then you are in for a surprise. Throughout the UK, electric scooters are banned from all public areas, roads, parks, and pavements. Even in cycle lanes, you cannot ride your electric scooter. The only place where you can ride them is in your house or on privately owned land.

And other modern countries?

With electric scooters becoming more and more popular and convenient in comparison to petrol vehicles, many countries are modernizing their existing rules and regulations. Some European countries have taken a modern approach to electric scooters. Out of France are recent reports that the country will prohibit electric scooters from sidewalks, moving their traffic to the streets. Switzerland classifies electric scooters as motorized bicycles, and the Swiss do not allow e-scooters on sidewalks, but bike lanes and streets are all okay. In Germany, standing scooters are prohibited from public spaces because they do not yet fall into any approved vehicle category. Also, there are some efforts to make an approved vehicle category for PLEVs in the EU.

Electric scooters have been around since 1996. But they’ve just recently seen a massive uptick in popularity and public interest, especially in larger American cities and on college campuses. This is in part thanks to the growing number of eScooter rental companies, like Bird, Lime, and more recently announced, Uber. With so many rental scooters hitting the market, more and more people are considering making a purchase of their own. And they’re asking one simple question: are electric scooters worth it?

Answering this question is extremely subjective. Determining the value of something is a process as unique as you are. Something that’s worth it to your neighbor or a family member might not be worth it to you.

But to help you determine the value of owning an electric scooter, we can explore the costs to and benefits of ownership. At the end of this exploration, you should have enough information to determine for yourself if owning an electric scooter is worth it.

The Cost of Owning An Electric Scooter

The financial cost of owning an electric scooter is much lower than owning other forms of transportation such as a car or a motorcycle. But you should still consider the costs. There are four components to the cost of owning an electric scooter.

• Cost of the electric scooter: This is the most obvious cost and almost goes without saying, but yes, you actually need to pay for the scooter. And the prices do vary quite a bit. Electric scooter range from a few hundred dollars up to $1,500 or more. Do your research. The correlation between the price isn’t always strong, so understand which features are included, consider the price point that you are comfortable with, and read reviews.
• Cost of protective gear: You’re smart. Smart enough to know that while electric scooters are fun, they’re not toys. Self-protection should be a top concern for you every time you ride on or in any type of vehicle that moves faster than walking speed. So, you’ll need to invest in the proper protective gear. This includes a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads. After all, eScooters designed for fast and easy commuting can reach top speeds up to 18 miles per hour. That’s pretty fast!

  Make sure your protective gear is certified to help protect your head from low force multiple impacts (ASTM Standard) and single high impacts (CPSC Certified).

• Cost of the electricity used to charge the scooter: The battery of the electric scooter runs down, and so you must recharge it. Most electric scooter batteries recharge anywhere between three and five hours. Your local electric service provider should be able to estimate this cost. (But we know it’s certainly less than a tank of gas!)
• Cost to replace scooter: Even though an electric scooter is much cheaper to purchase and operate than a motorcycle or car, it has a limited lifetime. Expect to replace your scooter every five years. But as the electric personal transportation market continues to mature, you can expect prices to drop.

Top 10 Benefits to Owning an Electric Scooter

Owning an electric scooter isn’t all about costs. There are plenty of benefits to go along with ownership. Here are the top ten benefits you’ll reap by purchasing an electric scooter.

Honestly, there are way more than 10 benefits – but we could be here for hours talking about them!

1. Easy assembly. An electric scooter is easy to assemble. Most models can be assembled in as little as ten minutes – especially the foldable models. Just unfold, attach the handle grips, charge up the battery and go.
2. They’re fun. Don’t you want to feel like a kid again? Owning an eScooter is one way to relive the good ol’ days of riding in the open air, with the wind blowing through your hair. We all deserve a bit of fun now and then, right?
3. Easy to park. Most electric scooters are small and lightweight enough to fit in your office, in a school locker, or in a grocery cart. But if you absolutely need to park your electric scooter, you have plenty of options. Bike racks are virtually everywhere, and many bike locks can be used to secure your scooter.
4. Saves you time. Because a scooter is small and easy to operate, you can more easily navigate through traffic congestion. You’ll get where you’re going quicker and, dare we say, better.
5. License requirements: Because of their limited speed, many cities do not require you to have a license. Before you ride, ensure that you become familiar with your local electric scooter regulations. Visit our article, “Are Electric Scooters Legal?”, for more information.
6. Easily portable. An electric scooter is usually lightweight enough to carry with you on the bus, train, or subway. And some, like our Swagger 5 commuter scooters, can be easily folded so that you can store them in compact spaces.
7. Environment friendly. Because they are electric, an electric scooter doesn’t emit CO2 into the atmosphere. The less CO2, the better
8. Cost of maintenance: Maintaining an electric scooter is less expensive than owning a motorcycle or car. Our Swagger 5 features a revolutionary airless honeycomb-style rear tire that helps you say goodbye to flat tires.
9. They’re electric. No seriously, this is a huge advantage. Electric scooters are cheaper to operate when compared to traditional fuel-based scooters and bikes. Instead of hopping in your car for short trips and quick errands, hop on your electric scooter.
10. They are affordable. An electric scooter certainly costs far less than a motorcycle or a car. You can have a high-end scooter for just a few hundred dollars. Some manufacturers SWAGTRON® included, have invested heavily in lowering manufacturing costs while raising quality.
    Those savings are passed on to you.

So Are Electric Scooters Worth It?

We say, Yes!

Let’s face it, an electric scooter is an exciting personal transportation vehicle that has captured the imaginations of urban commuters and campus cruisers the world over. And it’s easy to see why. They’re a fun, eco-friendly way to get around. Improvements in battery technology have made them more affordable and lighter than ever before, and SWAGTRON is at the forefront of combining innovative design and industry-leading features with family-friendly pricing.

Whether you’re using an eScooter as a last-mile solution or just to explore more of your world, there’s an electric scooter out there with your name on it.

And ours!

SWAGTRON

Ride Beyond.